It is contemplated according to the present invention that generally cubical building modules be substantially completely fabricated or premolded in a manufacturing plant and be distributed or delivered from the manufacturing plant to the building site, as by truck delivery.
It is a major objective of the present invention to provide apparatus and a method for fabrication of such building modules, which are adapted to mass produce the modules, with a minimum of individual or separate manual attention to the modules being fabricated.
A further general objective of the invention is to provide for such mass production of the building modules, while, at the same time, making possible some variations in the specific structure of individual modules fabricated, as, for instance, provision for doors and/or windows variously distributed in the walls of the modules.
The arrangement disclosed also provides separately operatable internal mold parts and external mold parts, together with molding framing and interconnection means between the framing for the internal mold parts and the framing for the external mold parts, in order to provide accurate interpositioning of the internal and external mold parts.
Another objective of the invention is to provide internal mold parts subdivided into a plurality of components which are so configured and arranged that they may be sequentially advanced into and withdrawn from molding position without interference with each other, which has heretofore presented problems requiring virtually total disassembly and reassembly of the components when molding each individual module.
Another objective of the invention is to provide separate framing or supporting structure for the mold parts provided for molding the outside of each of the upright side walls of the cubical modules being formed, preferably four separate framings being employed. With this arrangement it is further contemplated that the several side wall mold frames be interconnected at the corners, but being separately disconnectable so that the individual side wall frames may be separately withdrawn from the molding position.
It is another objective of the invention to provide molding components for the outer surface of each side wall, which components comprise a series of molding strips, preferably horizontally arranged and brought sequentially into molding position beginning with the strip at the lower edge of the side wall and progressing upwardly strip-by-strip throughout the height of the side wall. With this arrangement it is contemplated that the concrete or the like being used will be introduced in the mold cavity between the inside mold strips and the outside mold components in stages, according to the stepwise positioning of the outside mold strips. This stepwise casting of the concrete facilitates accurate and complete filling of the mold cavity, which is virtually impossible to accomplish where it is attempted to cast the concrete in one step throughout the entire height of the side wall, as was contemplated in certain prior art techniques.
Still further the invention contemplates an arrangement of the external mold parts, including the mounting and operating mechanism for such parts which provides for substantial clearance around the outside of the internal parts, when the external mold parts are withdrawn, in order to facilitate the incorporation of reinforcement elements such as wire mesh in the upright walls of the module to be formed. The clearance referred to provides for convenient use and incorporation of the reinforcement elements by unrolling of those elements from a supply roll thereof, which roll may be moved around the internal mold parts, with the elements unwinding from the roll as the movement of the roll progresses. This greatly facilitates incorporation of the desired reinforcement elements.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, provision is made for subjecting the modules being molded or cast to vibration. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, provision is made for the insertion of vibratory elements in the space in the mold structure in which the side walls are being molded, and these vibratory elements are arranged so that they may serve not only for the purpose of subjecting the walls being formed to vibration, but also for the purpose of spacing the reinforcement elements within the molded walls in portions so that the reinforcement elements will be completely enclosed within the cast concrete, instead of lying at the surface thereof. The presence of a reinforcement element immediately at the surface is objectionable because it tends to establish a point where moisture may penetrate into the wall and thus result in deterioration of the wall itself.